by Doug Chasick

Posted June 6, 2003

A Checklist for On-Site Success: Part 3

15. Getting & Using Ideas From Your Staff:

• Your actions speak louder than words - trite but true. If you want people to participate, act like it!
• You don't have to use every suggestion everyone makes, but every suggestion must be acknowledged.
• If the only good ideas at your property seem to only come from you, is it because you have a mediocre, untrained staff, or is there an ego problem somewhere?
• Work with people on developing their ideas and suggestions instead of just dismissing them as not useful. It trains people how to think, and encourages them to continue to contribute.

16. Service Manager as a Shopper:

• Here's someone who isn't trained in all of our fancy leasing techniques, so they can take a property tour and respond like the average prospect.
• Create a shopping form for them to use.
• Make certain that, in addition to evaluating the sales presentation, they also evaluate the physical condition of the property and condition of the rent-ready, amenities and office area.

17. Service Requests:

Wipe your feet before entering the apartment.
• Bring a drop cloth if doing a "messy" repair - major HVAC, drywall repair, touch - up paint, etc.
• If you have to move something of the resident's, do it carefully and put it back when you are done.
• When the repair is complete, check for the obvious:
  • Sinks/shower dripping
  • Toilet running
  • Torn screens
  • Fire extinguisher charged
  • Locks sticking
  • Hallway light out
  • HVAC filter changed
  • Smoke detector battery
• LOCK THE DOOR when you leave!
• Leave a door hanger on the front door knob, letting the resident know you have repaired the problem.
• Leave a note telling about the "extra things" you did.
  IMPORTANT: MAKE CERTAIN THE NOTES ARE LEGIBLE! MANY SERVICE PERSONNEL HAVE HANDWRITING WORSE THAN DOCTORS!!
• Leave a "Rate your Service" card that the resident can complete and mail to you or your regional office.
• FOLLOW UP ON COMPLETED SERVICE REQUESTS - WITH YOUR RESIDENTS AND YOUR SERVICE STAFF. In addition to a "Rate your Service" program, the manager should call residents at random to make certain that the resident is satisfied. If not, what is the problem: not timely, not done in a professional manner, apartment left messy, apartment left unlocked (it happens more than you think!), wrong item repaired, etc. Follow up with your service staff and make certain things get resolved.
• Your service staff should make notations on the back of their copy of the service request regarding condition of the apartment, any pets, large numbers of empty moving boxes when there are 6 months left on the lease, etc.

18. Property Inspections:

• Being promoted to manager DOES NOT MEAN you don't work at night or on weekends. It means you work MORE nights and weekends! So take advantage of that time and do a regular property inspection.

19. Effective Discipline:

• Always take employees aside when disciplining them; always praise them in public!

20. Neighborhood Information Kit:

• Make certain you are in compliance with Fair Housing!
• The best source of information about the local area is the phone book, but most people don't get their phone book for two or three weeks AFTER they move in. Work out a deal with the phone company so you can stock phone books and give them to the residents at move-in, which saves the phone company from having to deliver them.
• Create an information sheet, with a map of the local area that tells the new resident how to get the utilities, phone and cable turned on. Include the address, phone number, location marked on a map, days and hours of business for each company, deposit amount, advance payment amount, how much lead time they need to get things turned on and if they need a certified check or money order.
• Also include the name, address, phone number and mark the location of the Superintendent of Schools, Driver's License and Auto Tags agency, the post office, the bus stop, fire department, police station and the closest hospitals.

21. Resident Social Activities:

• There are three goals for every resident function you produce:
  1) To entertain the residents and let them have fun
  2) To introduce them to each other so they make new friends who just happen to be their neighbors
  3) To have them bring friends who see what a wonderful community they live in and want to live there too.
• Everyone on your staff should "work" each resident function, acting as a social director who introduces residents to other residents, especially those with similar interests. The key word here is work: everyone should have fun, but remember they are on duty and act accordingly, especially where drinking is involved.
• Give your residents AT LEAST three weeks notice prior to your events. Don't just rely on your property newsletter or flyers in the laundry rooms and on the mailboxes; use colorful invitations that are personalized.

22. Communicating Problems:

• Your boss or owners hired you to manage the property - TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS. Use your boss/owners as a resource for assistance.
• Some people try to hide problems because their supervisors blame them for creating the problems. If this is the case, it's time for a heart-to-heart talk! Likewise, if your supervisor doesn't let you make decisions, and then blames you for problems, it's time for that talk.

22. Signing Everything With Your Name:

• People want to know the name of the person they are communicating with. They wonder why things are signed "The Management" - is someone trying to hide?
• One of the most important factors in resident retention is creating and nurturing a relationship between the residents and the staff - how would YOU relate to "The Management"

23. Summoning People To Your Office:

• If the name of your game is power plays and intimidation, make everyone come to you, just like it says in lots of management theory books. If the name of your game is communication, it's obvious that the employee will be more relaxed (read: receptive) in their office or shop.
• Most of the time, you WANT something from your residents when you speak with them. Common courtesy dictates YOU go to them.
• When you visit a resident in their apartment to discuss their lease renewal, it shows respect, and it allows you to inspect their apartment to determine what, if any, maintenance work needs to be done and what you should offer as a renewal incentive (paint, carpet, ceiling fan or maybe a one way ticket to your competition?)

Douglas D. Chasick, CPM®, CAPS, CAS, Adv. RAM, CLP, is The Apartment Doctor™, a Multifamily speaker and consultant with over 28 years of experience in restoring rental health to ailing apartment communities. Doug is also the Multifamily Distance Learning Consultant for CallSource.